It happened the other day: Deputy Dist....

It happened the other day: Deputy Dist. Atty. Ed Kosmal, ticketed for walking his dog without a leash, pleaded not guilty in court on the grounds that he controlled the animal with a “psychological leash.”

Then, using a stratagem that smacked of “L.A. Law,” if not “Perry Mason,” Kosmal called a surprise witness--the dog itself.

The creature, which was in the audience unbeknown to Municipal Court Judge Judith O. Stein, came forward on its psychological leash and plopped down next to the witness stand. (The dog was not, however, asked to raise its paw and take the oath.)

Stein found Kosmal guilty but suspended the fine when he promised to use a physical leash henceforth.

The proceeding took place, of course, in Beverly Hills.

The Rams may have forsaken L.A. for Orange County but it’s obvious that John Ferraro and Zev Yaroslavsky have forgiven them. The two L.A. City Council members rode on the team flight to Berlin, where the Anaheim Rams tackle the Kansas City Chiefs today.

Ferraro, who took an aide, and Yaroslavsky, who took his wife, said they used campaign funds to pay the tab: $1,000 per person for the round-trip flight plus a stay at a posh hotel. Ferraro termed it a “good-will” trip because L.A. is a sister city of Berlin (if not of Anaheim).

The recent disclosure that water usage at Mayor Tom Bradley’s city-owned mansion in Hancock Park had increased 25% over the same period last year inspired radio station KODJ characters Charlie Tuna, Dean Goss and Lynda Lambert.

They set forth 10 theories on why His Honor can’t cut down during this drought, including:

* He doesn’t want authorities to dry-mop the Bradley Terminal at the airport.

* He’s trying to turn the L.A. River into a tourist attraction.

* He’s got a political fire he’s trying to put out.

The departure of one United Airlines flight from Burbank had been delayed for more than two hours when the plane finally began to taxi. And taxi. And taxi.

“I know some of you are in a hurry to get to San Francisco,” the pilot joked as they headed for a distant runway. “I just want to assure you that we’ll be picking up speed as soon as we make our way to the 101. And we’ll be stopping for pie and coffee along the way.”

Then, too, the passengers were piling up those Frequent Freeway Flier points.

Christmas Craziness seems to start earlier every year. But even Tiny Tim might have winced at the display of holiday wreaths, lights and trees at the Beverly Center on Friday, the 137th day before Christmas. It turns out that the decorations were for a movie, “Scenes from a Mall.” Now let’s see if they come down after the film crew leaves.

While we’re on the subject, Amanda Baker, a 4-year-old shopper, was overheard delivering this modern-day version of a nursery rhyme to her father:

Mirror, mirror, on the wall,

Who’s the fairest in the mall?

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The commuter culture: A recent poll found that more than 40% of Angelenos awaken before 6 a.m., compared to 30% nationally.